


To Begin The World Over Again

by afteriwake



Category: Doctor Who, Sherlock (TV), Torchwood
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-05-10
Updated: 2013-06-05
Packaged: 2017-12-10 22:50:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/791088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One day Amy Pond asks to find out if there's a parallel Earth somewhere where she's a Queen. When the Doctor looks and finds out there is, and Amy is a tyrant who took over the world with Sherlock Holmes, he recruits old friends to help overthrow the government, along with a reluctant Sherlock. But there's a bigger mystery at play: why do some people remember certain events differently, or don't remember them at all? And why is this trip not in River's book?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In Which Amy Asks A Fateful Question

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LadyofWinter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyofWinter/gifts).



> So, I got challenged to write a Pondlock fic where Sherlock and Amy take over the world, and this is what came out. Goes AU for Doctor Who after "Victory Of The Daleks," for Torchwood after "Children of Earth" and is set pre-series for Sherlock. Title comes from the following quote from Thomas Paine: “We have it in our power to begin the world over again.”

“Doctor, do you ever go to parallel universes?” Amy asked one morning as she was traveling with the Doctor. He was at his console, flipping levers and switches. When she said that he got a frown on his face. “Doctor?” she asked again.

“I’ve gone a few times. Nearly had to burn out a sun the first time,” he said quietly. “Why?”

“I was just wondering if there was any place where things were vastly different,” she said with a smile, trying to coax the frown off his face and pull him out of his melancholy mood. “Maybe someplace where I’m the Queen of England or something.”

He thought for a few moments. “We can find out.” He went to the console and began dancing around it, moving things and flipping more switches and levers. Then he got to the keyboard and typed in “Amelia Pond” and “Queen.” He hit enter and waited, and then grinned. “Yes, there is one where you’re a queen!” He looked closer and then frowned. “Queen of the entire world, actually,” he said.

“Really?” Amy asked, surprised. “Like, I took over the world?”

“You had help,” he murmured. He typed in a few more things, and the frown deepened. “No, this is not good. You’re a bloody tyrant!”

“ _What_?” she said, her voice nearly a screech. She moved over to the monitor, where the Doctor was overlooking images. “No way. I do _that_?”

“Not just you. You and your husband.”

She shook her head, careful not to show on her face that she had a very good idea who it might be. After all, in this particular Earth she’d run off on the eve of her wedding to Rory Williams. Knowing her luck she’d be married to him in every parallel Earth in existence. “What husband?”

“Sherlock Holmes,” he said.

She blinked. “Who is that?”

“In some parallel Earths he’s a fictional character, created by a man named Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the 18th century. But in others, he’s a real flesh and blood man living at different points in history.” He began going back to the console. “In your Earth, he’s a consulting detective in London in your time.”

“What the bloody hell is a consulting detective?” she asked, following the Doctor around.

“He helps the police solve cases. He’s brilliant, but he’s supposedly a sociopath.”

“And _that’s_ my husband?” Amy said as she got back to the monitor and saw a picture of her with a man she didn’t recognize.

The Doctor stood next to her. “Curly black hair, mesmerizing blue eyes…yes, that’s him.” He went back to the console. “We have to fix this.”

“We? Like you and I? Take on two people who took over the world and turned it into a bloody war zone?” she asked, incredulous.

“You and I and _him_ , and maybe one or two others,” he said. He stopped what he was doing and ran to the TARDIS doors, opening them. Amy ran right behind him, and looked over his shoulder at the man who was examining the door with a pocket magnifier. He looked exactly like the man in the photograph she had just seen. “Sherlock Holmes, I need your help,” the Doctor said.

“This appeared out of nowhere,” the man said, slipping his magnifier back into the pocket. “How is that possible?”

“Alien technology,” the Doctor said. “I don’t have time to explain it, just come inside.” He reached over and grabbed Sherlock’s arm, pulling him into the TARDIS. Sherlock’s eyes widened. “Yes, yes, I know, bigger on the inside. I don’t have time for that right now. I need to go get Jack. And maybe Martha and Mickey, if they aren’t too busy. If I can even find them.” The Doctor shut the doors behind them, pointing his sonic at them.

“Are you _kidnapping_ me?” Sherlock asked, aghast, his eyes following the Doctor as he went back to the console..

“Yeah, I think he is,” Amy said quietly, and only then did it register to him that she was there. She gave him a slight grin, extending her hand. “Amy Pond.” He looked at her hand, then back at her eyes, making no move to shake it. “All right then. This is going to be _fun_.”

Sherlock turned back to the door and tried to open it. “It’s locked.”

“He soniced it,” Amy said with a shrug.

“What?”

“Pointed his sonic screwdriver at it, did a thing, and now you can’t get out,” she said. “For someone who’s supposedly brilliant it’s kind of daft that you didn’t realize that.”

“What the bloody hell is a sonic screwdriver?” Sherlock asked, beginning to get irritated.

“The thing he does things with,” Amy said.

“That makes so much sense,” Sherlock said towards her, rolling his eyes.

“At least I’m trying to explain, unlike him,” she said, jerking her thumb towards the Doctor. “Oi! Doctor! Are you sure I marry this bloke?”

“Marry you?” Sherlock asked, incredulous. “Why on Earth would I marry you?”

“Parallel universe,” the Doctor said, flipping some more controls.

“Like that exists,” Sherlock scoffed.

“You’re on a spaceship which is shaped like a blue police box and bigger on the inside and you’re really questioning if parallel universes exist?” Amy said, raising an eyebrow.

Sherlock gaped at her for a moment, then shut his mouth. “Fine. Say you’re right. Why would you question if I was supposed to be the one you married?”

“Because there’s a parallel universe where you and I are married and we take over the world and become tyrants,” she said.

Sherlock shook his head. “I would say you’re mental, but as you just pointed out, I’m on a spaceship that is vastly bigger inside than it would suggest from the outside,” he said quietly.

“Well, at least you seem to be taking it better now,” Amy said, going back up to the console. “Is Martha one of the companions I saw when I did the hologram thingy?”

The Doctor nodded. “Yes. She’s one of the best. Bluffed the Daleks into submission,” he said with a grin. “She’s married to Mickey now and they work for UNIT. If anyone can help figure out what to do, it’s her.” He flipped a last switch and then a moment later an insistent banging was heard on the TARDIS doors. The Doctor flew down the stairs, pointed his sonic and pressed it, then opened the doors. “Martha! Mickey!”

“Doctor!” Martha Smith-Jones said with a wide smile, embracing her friend. When she was done, Mickey Smith did the same. “You changed.”

“Had to. Life or death situation.”

“I miss the high tops,” she said. “But I like the bow tie.”

“At least somebody does,” Mickey said with a smirk as he caught Amy rolling her eyes. She saw the smirk and grinned at him. “You must be his companions.”

“Companion?” Sherlock asked. “He just kidnapped me.”

“You’re Sherlock Holmes, right?” Martha asked him as the Doctor went back to the console and began doing things to it. Sherlock nodded. “Your brother complains about you so much.”

“You know Mycroft?” he asked, surprised.

Mickey nodded. “He’s one of the people we answer to, on the government end of things.”

“You’re not his favorite person in the world,” Martha said.

“The feeling is mutual,” Sherlock said in a huff.

“So, why did you come to get us?” Mickey asked.

“We need to go overthrow a totalitarian world government on a parallel Earth,” he said, flipping another switch on the console. “I’m going to try and get Jack for this.”

“Good luck finding him, mate,” Mickey said. “We’ve been looking for a long time.”

“Did something happen?” the Doctor asked with a frown, pausing in what he was doing.

“The aliens who wanted children?” Martha said slowly. The Doctor gave her a blank look, and then she turned to Amy. “Do you remember that?”

“The only aliens I know about are him and ET, and those random aliens in the Men In Black films,” Amy said.

“Huh,” Mickey said. “Something’s not right.”

“No, apparently not,” the Doctor said. “But that mystery will have to keep for now. I’ve got Jack.” He went back to the doors, opened them up, and went through them. Minutes later he came back in with Jack Harkness, who did not look entirely sober. “It’s worse than I thought,” the Doctor said.

“This is a whole new TARDIS,” Martha said, looking at Amy as Mickey went over to Jack. “Do you know where the kitchen is?”

“Absolutely,” Amy said with a nod. “Just follow me.”

“I’m going to go pick up someone else, just in case,” the Doctor said, letting go of the inebriated Jack and going back to the console. “River might be a big help.”

“Who is she?”

“An old friend,” he murmured. “If I get her before she goes to the library that might be best.” He went to the console and began doing things to it as Martha, Mickey and Jack followed Amy up the stairs to the hallway, Jack staggering as he moved. Soon it was just the Doctor and Sherlock in the room, and Sherlock cleared his throat. “Yes?” the Doctor asked, not looking up.

“Doctor, is it?” Sherlock asked, finally leaving the place he’d been standing since he realized the doors had been locked. The Doctor nodded but didn’t answer. “What exactly am I supposed to do?”

“Help take down a corrupt government and free the world,” he said, fiddling with a lever. “Why?”

“It’s not in my nature.”

“Yes, you’re supposed to be a sociopath,” he said.

“ _High functioning_ sociopath,” Sherlock said.

“You’re not.”

“Not what?”

“Not a sociopath.” The Doctor finally looked at him. “And I’m going to give you a chance to prove that.”

“I solve cases. I do not overthrow governments,” Sherlock protested as the Doctor threw one final switch and then brushed past him. “Are you even listening to me?”

“I am. I’m also ignoring your protests because really, this will be the best thing for you,” he replied as he went to the door. “Doctor Song!” he called out.

“It’s Professor,” a woman said from just outside the doors. Then she paused. “Oh, _you’re_ my Doctor.”

“And you’re in jail,” he said with a frown. He stepped outside as Sherlock gaped, and after a moment he came back with a woman who had blonde frizzy hair. “River Song, Sherlock Holmes.”

“Pleasure,” she said with a smile. Sherlock did not return the smile. “Oh, he’s such a wet blanket.”

“I am not,” Sherlock sputtered.

“I need your help. I thought I could get someone else’s, but he’s dead drunk right now, and I thought of you.”

“Have we done Stonehenge yet?” she asked, pulling out a book.

He shook his head. “No.”

“The Weeping Angels?” she asked.

“Why on Earth would we have anything to do with _them_?” he asked, his jaw hanging slightly.

She frowned. “Something must be wrong. The first time I’m supposed to see you in this regeneration you save me from the _Byzantium_ after I cause it to crash.”

“That’s strange,” he said with a frown. “And apparently there was an alien invasion that I know nothing about.”

“Interesting,” River murmured. Then she looked at him and beamed. “We can sort this out later. Why did you need my help?”

“I need to overthrow a government,” he said. “Corrupt and totalitarian, run by the parallel Earth version of my newest companion and Sherlock Holmes.” He pointed to Sherlock. “Him.”

“This has made my day,” River said with a widening smile. “Do you know how to get there?”

“Not without burning up a sun going into supernova,” he said.

“Then let me do it,” she said.

“You? You know how to pilot a TARDIS?” he asked, surprised.

“Yes. I learned from the very best,” she said.

“Me?”

“No, you were busy that day,” she said, her grin turning impish. “First off, you leave the parking brake on.”

“But it makes it make the sound. I like the sound.”

“She doesn’t like it,” River said, going up to the console. “Before we go, perhaps you can tell me what we’re going to do when we get there?”

“Overthrow the government,” he said, looking at her.

“But _how_ , sweetie? If they took over the world we need a plan. They’ll be formidable enemies.”

He frowned. “I haven’t figured that out yet.”

“Then before we go there, let’s have some semblance of a plan in mind,” she said, patting his cheek. “Let’s go have a conference with your other companions.”

“All right,” the Doctor said with a nod. “Sherlock, follow us.”

“No.”

“No?” River and the Doctor chorused, turning to look at him.

“I am not taking another step until someone gives me a very good reason as to why I should help you,” he said, crossing his arms and giving them both a defiant look.

“Because you’ll be saving lives,” the Doctor said. “You’ll be doing good.”

“Not good enough,” Sherlock said shaking his head.

“Because you’re one of the most brilliant men who ever lived, and if you can figure out how to take that world back you’ll be a legend,” River said sweetly.

Sherlock considered it a moment. “And when this is over you’ll take me back home?”

“It will be like you never left,” the Doctor said, nodding quickly.

“Very well,” Sherlock said. He moved over towards them. “Where do we go now?”

“The kitchen. Walk straight ahead, I’ll tell you how to get there.” Sherlock pushed past them, and when he was about seven steps ahead he and River started moving. “How did you know that would work?” he asked her.

“Flattery can get you everywhere,” she said with a smile. The Doctor grinned at her and offered her his arm, and she took it. “After this we need to figure out the other mystery.”

He nodded. “Agreed. But after this.” With that they began to make their way to the kitchen. When they got there it was packed. Jack was sitting at the table, arms folded up on it with his head on top of that. Amy was setting about to make a pot of coffee while Martha was making toast in the toaster. “Still not sober?” he asked gently.

“We only just started all this,” Amy said. “Give us some time, Doctor.”

The Doctor nodded as River let go of his arm. He went to the table and sat next to Jack. “Jack,” he said gently. Jack grunted in response, and then the Doctor sighed. “When he’s sober, then we’ll talk. For now…let’s just get him sober.”

“We can do that,” Mickey said with a nod. “Just leave it to us.”

“So now, we wait,” the Doctor said with a sigh.

“Yes, love,” River said. “We wait.”


	2. In Which Sherlock And Amy Disobey The Doctor

It took about an hour and a half to sober Jack up enough to get him coherent. If they had thought they would be able to include him in the conversation in some productive means they had been mistaken; he sat staring at his fifth cup of coffee, saying nothing. Everyone avoided trying to bring him into the conversation and simply talked around him.

Though he did not want to be there, it was Sherlock who suggested the course of action that seemed best: do some reconnaissance first to see what they were up against, then come back and figure out what to do from there. River had heaped praise on the idea, and when Martha caught her eye she did the same. The look on Sherlock’s face showed that, perhaps, there might be something to being successful at this endeavor.

There was a small argument between the Doctor, Sherlock and Amy about who was to go out. Amy wanted to go with them, but the Doctor said a doppelganger of the Empress running around could pose problems. She protested some more, but when Martha and River pointed out that it could be very dangerous she reluctantly agreed to stay in the TARDIS while the others went out. Sherlock also agreed, though without as much protest.

It didn’t take long for River to pilot them into this parallel dimension, though the Doctor grumbled the whole time that she could do it without burning up a sun. River just smiled enigmatically and continued to do what she needed to do. The TARDIS landed without its particular “vworp-vworp-vworp” sound, and then the Doctor pointed. “I liked that sound,” he said.

“If I wanted to land cloaked and silent I couldn’t have the sound,” River said, rolling her eyes slightly. “No one will know we’re here.”

“How will we find it again if we need it?” Jack asked, his first real contribution of the day.

“Study your surroundings when you get out,” Sherlock said with a slight shrug. “I doubt much will change in a few hours’ time.”

“Where did we land, exactly?” Martha asked.

“In their version of London,” River said. “In the outer part of the city. There is apparently an inner city which is guarded. I thought it best if we didn’t land there.”

“Is it safe?” Mickey asked the Doctor.

“Not entirely, no,” the Doctor said slowly. “From the data I gathered there is a rebellion underway. Nothing much right now, but it might get bigger. We need to find the people in charge and help them. That is how we’ll overthrow the government.”

“And what then?” Jack asked. “Are we just going to leave them here to fend for themselves?”

“I haven’t thought that far ahead,” he replied.

“Maybe you should.” Jack moved away from the console. “I’ll go help gather information, but if we’re just going to leave them worse off than before I don’t want to help.”

“It’s your choice,” the Doctor said with a nod. “But I’m going to make things right.” He left the console area and went to the doors. “Everyone who’s coming, follow me. Sherlock, Amelia, stay here. Show him around, Amelia, if you think it will keep the two of you from being bored.”

“Fine,” Amy said with a sigh as the others went to the door. She watched them leave, then turned to Sherlock. “What do you want to do?”

“In about ten minutes I’m going to leave and go look around myself,” he said, not looking at her.

“But you said you’d stay,” she said, her eyes slightly wide.

“I lied,” he replied with a slight shrug.

“So you’re just going to leave me here?” she said, crossing her arms.

“I suppose you can come with me. But do as I say. Do not make things more difficult.” He finally turned to look at her. “And don’t act so childish. Pouting will not get you anything from me.”

“I am not pouting,” she said, glaring at him. “And you don’t know the first thing about me.”

“I know quite a bit about you,” he said, looking her up and down. “You’re Scottish, but you were raised in England. You have a connection to that man—“

“The Doctor,” she said.

“ _That man_ ,” he said insistently, “that predates this trip. You must have met him when you were younger, I would assume around seven or eight. Whatever happened left its mark on you and you had a unique childhood, one that was filled with few friends. You have a childish streak because you cling to that aspect of your childhood, and it comes out as you trying to act like a mature adult and failing miserably. I think you are running away from something as well, something big. Something that would force you into adulthood.”

She stared at him, staying silent. “You’re right. I _am_ a bit childish and I _am_ running away from something and I _did_ meet the Doctor as a child,” she said after a moment. “But just because you know a few things doesn’t mean you know _me_.”

“What are you running away from?” he asked, more curious than anything else.

“My wedding,” she said with a slight shrug. “I’m engaged to a man named Rory Williams. I’m not sure if I love him, and I’m not sure why I agreed to marry him. I ran away the night before my wedding, two years after the last time the Doctor saw me.”

“I see,” Sherlock murmured.

“What about you? What did you get kidnapped from?” she asked.

“A boring existence, unless I had a case to solve. But those are not as frequent as I would like,” he said, glancing at his watch. “Are the photos of what the people here wear still on the screen?”

She nodded, pointing to the screen. “Yeah, they’re still up there.”

“We will not fit in looking like this,” he said. “Is there perhaps clothing aboard this ship that would be more appropriate?”

“Probably in the closet,” she said,” hopping off the stool and going to the screen. “I’ll show you where it is after you’ve gotten a look.”

He came up to the screen and studied it. “It looks as though the common folk wear things much like the style of…” He paused, then frowned. “I’m not sure what time period that is.”

“1950s,” she said. “Maybe early 1960s.”

“Do you have clothing from that era?”

“Loads,” she replied. “Follow me and I can get us all taken care of.” She began walking towards the hallway where the kitchen was. “I know he’s going to be angry that we left. But I hate the idea of being cooped up in here. I want to know what’s going on just as much as they do. I want to help.”

“I’m still not very inclined to help,” Sherlock said. “But I do admit, this place is fascinating, and I want to know how a parallel version of myself was able to take over the entire world.”

“With help from my parallel self,” Amy pointed out. “For all you know I’m the brains and you’re the brawn.”

“I highly doubt that,” he scoffed.

She stopped in her tracks and looked him dead in the eye. “But you don’t know. Don’t assume you know everything, Sherlock Holmes. This is a whole new world, and other than what was on that screen we know next to nothing about it.”

He looked at her closely, and then it seemed as if he was looking at her in a whole new light. “You’re right,” he said after a moment.

“I am?” Then she nodded. “I am right.”

“At this juncture of the experiment I still need to observe.”

“You’re looking at this as an experiment?” she asked, tilting her head slightly.

“A social experiment, but an experiment nonetheless,” he said with a nod. “I am fond of experiments.”

“Then I’ll look at it the same way,” she said with a nod before turning around. “We should hurry. It’s a bit of a walk, and I want to get out of here before they suddenly decide to come back.”

“Agreed,” he replied with a nod. Amy led him to the closet, and then they went inside. Sherlock’s jaw hung down slightly at the sheer volume of clothing in the room. Amy began pulling things off racks, handing him things. He took them from her, hoping she was a good judge of his size. Then she pointed to a door in the back and told him to change. He went there and obliged. Ten minutes later he emerged, but she was nowhere to be seen. Then he heard a door open to his left and she came out. “I think we can pass,” he replied, taking a good look at her.

“Not quite yet. I need to fix my hair. And you’re coming with me, because I don’t want you to leave without me.”

He sighed, but when she left he followed her. She led him to a room and opened the door. He looked around and realized this was her bedroom. “What are you planning on doing?”

“Curling it. The Empress wears hers straight. Maybe I can disguise myself better that way. It’s going to take a few minutes, so get comfortable.” He looked around as she plugged in a curling iron. All he saw was a set of bunk beds, and he sat on the lower bunk and looked around. Then he got up and began looking at things. “Are you snooping through my things?” she asked after a few moments.

“It’s not snooping,” he said distastefully.

“Yes it is,” she said, removing the curling iron from her hair. “Stop going through my stuff.”

“You intrigue me.”

“Yeah, well, you annoy me.” She went back to curling her hair. “And it’s not fair if you know loads about me and I know nothing about you.”

“There isn’t much to tell,” he said. “And I don’t feel like sharing.”

“You’re just going to use all this snooping to your advantage somewhere down the line,” she said, watching him for a moment in her mirror.

“Most likely, yes,”

She turned and glared at him. “You’re insufferable, you know that?”

“So I’ve been told,” he said, looking at her. She stared back for a moment, then went back to curling her hair. He picked up a sketchbook and began flipping through it. “You have talent.”

“You’re looking at my drawings, aren’t you?” she asked with a sigh.

“Yes.”

“Well, stop. I don’t think I’m all that great.”

“I think you have tremendous skill. You could use more practice, but all artists need to continue to work on their skill.”

“What would you know about art? You seem like you’d hate it.”

“My mother enjoyed art,” he said quietly. “She tried to instill a love of it in me. I’m afraid it didn’t work, but I can admire technical skill.”

“Is she still trying?”

“She’s dead.”

She lowered the iron and looked at him. “I’m sorry. How long ago did it happen?”

“A year ago,” he said quietly, setting down the sketch book.

“I’m sorry,” she said again, though more quietly this time. He avoided looking at her, going back to the things on her dresser. After a moment she went back to her hair, and finished about ten minutes later. “I’m done,” she said.

“You look nicer with curly hair,” he said.

“Thank you,” she replied. She grabbed the coat she had gotten when she changed into her clothes. “Let’s get going before they get back.”

“Yes,” he said with a nod. He grabbed his own new coat as well as the hat, slipping the coat on and placing the hat on his head. She led the way back through the TARDIS to the doors. There was no sign of their other companions, and she opened the door quickly. They stepped outside, shutting it behind them, and began to walk into the town.

They hadn’t made it ten steps when someone grabbed her arm. She yelped slightly, but swallowed most of the sound. “Empress. Emperor. It is good that I found you. It’s not safe for you to be here,” he said. “We must get you back into the inner city.”

“Very well,” Sherlock said with a nod as Amy’s eyes went wide. “Escort us back.”

He nodded and bowed slightly after he let go of Amy’s arm. “Follow me.” He turned and walked ahead of them. When he was three steps ahead Sherlock and Amy began moving.

“This isn’t good,” Amy whispered.

“No, but we’ll have to play along,” Sherlock murmured. “How good an actress are you?”

“Decent,” she said. “Why?”

“Because we’re about to be thrust on a stage with no preparation for the role,” he said. “And our very lives depend on it.”

“I was afraid you’d say that.” Her eyes followed the man in front of her. “We’ll have to trust each other.”

“Yes,” he said with a slight nod. “I just hope we can survive this.”

“You and me both.”


	3. In Which The Doctor Gets Unexpected Company And Surprising News

“How hard can it be to find revolutionaries?” The Doctor asked an hour later. The five of them had been trudging through the outer city, but no one would come near them. In fact, everyone was running the other way. The Doctor sighed.

“Sweetie, perhaps we should have changed our clothing,” River said gently, laying a hand on his arm.

“That might have been a good idea,” he replied. “But there’s nothing we can do now except go back.”

“Martha! Mickey!” The five of them stopped and turned. There was Amy, dressed in the clothing they had seen everyone with. Sherlock was right behind her. “What are you doing?”

“Amelia, I told you to stay in the TARDIS,” the Doctor said with an exasperated sigh. He reached over and grabbed her arm.

“Unhand me now, you vile man,” she said coldly.

Sherlock stepped closer. “Let go of my wife if you don’t want to lose your hand,” he replied coldly.

“Wife?” the Doctor said weakly.

“I don’t think this is our Sherlock and Amy,” Mickey murmured.

“There’s one way to take care of this,” River said. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a device. “Cover your ears.”

The Doctor quickly let go of the Empress’s arm and covered his ears as Mickey, Martha and Jack did the same. River pressed a button and after a moment of the Emperor and Empress acting disoriented they fainted to the ground. “What did you do?” the Doctor asked River as soon as she was done.

“I knocked them out,” she said quizzically. “What did you think I did?”

“What is that thing?” Martha asked.

“It’s an audio pulse machine, calibrated to make anyone who hears it weak and unsteady before they pass out,” she said pocketing the device. “It’s calibrated specifically so I can use it and not hurt myself.”

“We need to take them with us,” Jack said.

“Yes,” the Doctor said with a nod. “We can’t leave them out here in the open. I’ll get her. Jack, Mickey, you get him.” The Doctor knelt down and picked the Empress up, and Jack and Mickey grunted slightly as they hoisted the Emperor up. “It’s a good thing we’re so close to the TARDIS.”

“I’ll open it,” River said, stepping ahead of them.

“But only I can open it,” he said.

“Learned from the best, remember?” River said with an impish smile. She took three steps forward and snapped her fingers. The TARDIS doors opened for her. “Oh, don’t gawk, Doctor. The TARDIS and I have a special connection.”

“What is this connection?” he asked, narrowing his eyes as he carried the Empress across the threshold.

“It’s not time for you to know that.” Then she frowned. “But I get the feeling that things are not happening the way they are supposed to. I may be an anomaly by now.”

“River, please explain,” he replied.

“I will, love. But later. We need to get our unexpected guests settled first.”

“I suppose you’re right,” the Doctor said with a nod as Jack and Mickey got the Emperor in, Martha behind them. “How long is this going to last?”

“About a half hour,” she replied. “Any longer than that and it would fry their brains.”

“Then we need to hurry. We need to find a place to put them and lock them up,” Martha said.

“After you check for weapons,” Jack said. “I would, at any rate.”

“Good idea. Martha, you check her. Jack, you check him. Follow me, all of you.” The Doctor began moving again, going up the stairs and down the hallways. He made it to a door after ten minutes of walking. “River, could you open this door?”

“You have a prison in your TARDIS?” she asked, arching an eyebrow as she slid the bolt.

“No, it was more in case I went mad and my companion had to keep me locked up for my own safety,” he said quietly. “There are two beds in here, though. Lay them down and check them.” He laid the Empress down on one bed and Jack got the Emperor on the other, and then Martha came into the room. Slowly a cache of weapons came off both of them. “That’s a lot of weaponry,” the Doctor replied when they were done with a soundless whistle. “Let’s gather them up and get them out of here.”

“By now Amy and Sherlock should have noticed you were back,” River said.

“Unless they’re deep in their explorations,” he said, picking up the gun that had come off the Empress by pinching it between two fingers. “Why?”

“I have a hunch,” River replied. “Do you still have a massive closet somewhere?”

“Down the hall to the right. Three doors down,” he said, picking up other weapons.

“Give me a moment.” With that, River left the room. The others gathered up the weapons and took them out, locking the door behind them. A few moments later River came back carrying Sherlock’s coat. “I think they’re gone.”

The Doctor frowned. “I told them to stay put.”

“And when do your companions ever listen to you?” Martha asked, a slight smile on her face. “We’re all an adventurous lot.”

“I know. It’s given me endless headaches in the past.” He sighed. “We just need to go find them before they get into trouble.”

“Shouldn’t we get more information first?” Mickey said. The Doctor turned to him and blinked. “You have the bloody rulers of this world locked up in that room. They can tell you anything you need to know.”

“If they’ll talk,” Jack said. “I can make them talk.”

The Doctor looked at him. “No torture,” he said after a moment.

“I won’t lay a hand on them,” Jack said with a nod. He went back to the door and let himself in.

The Doctor looked at the door for a moment, then turned back to River. “You and I need to talk. Now.”

“About what?”

“About you, and why you can fly the TARDIS, and that book of yours you whipped out when I picked you up.” He turned to Martha and Mickey. “You two stay here in case Jack needs your help.”

“Very well,” Martha said. “Have any chairs?”

“The room to the left,” he said with a nod. Then he gently grasped River’s arm, but it was still a firm grip. “Come with me, Professor Song.” The two of them walked away as Mickey went to get him and his wife chairs. They walked back to the kitchen and went inside, the Doctor letting go of her arm once they stepped inside. “In case you’re hungry.”

“Thank you,” she said with a slight nod. She went to a cupboard and began rummaging around as the Doctor sat down at the table. “I am fairly sure that right now I am an anomaly. I am not supposed to exist.”

“Why?” he asked.

“Because I don’t think my parents ever conceive me. I don’t know how I still exist, to be honest.”

“Who are your parents?” the Doctor asked, leaning forward and placing his arms on the table.

“Amy Pond and Rory Williams.”

“The nurse?” he asked, surprised.

She nodded. “There is a lot that is supposed to happen, but this adventure is not on my list of things I have done with you, and I have had this book for many years. I know everything that will happen and everything that has happened.” He opened his mouth but she looked at him. “I know about the Library. I know that is my last adventure, though I don’t know the specifics.”

“How do you know me?” he asked.

“I married you. The way all of this is supposed to happen, I’m supposed to kill you, but I don’t because I love you. So all of time happens at once. In order for time to continue on as it should, we have to touch, and the only way I will touch you is for a kiss, at our hand fasting. This is years down the line, mind you, but that is how it is supposed to happen.”

“Why would I marry you?”

“Because you do love me, and you want to set things right.” She paused. “I suppose I should go to the beginning. My beginning.” She got some food down and then went to the coffee pot. She pulled the pot out and sniffed it before putting it back, a distasteful look on her face. “Where is your tea?”

“I’ll make it. You start your story.” He got up and she sat down across from where he had been sitting.

“Amy travels with you for a long while, longer than other companions. She was supposed to marry Rory the day after you took her to travel with you. Eventually she tries to kiss you, so you go get Rory. You all travel together for a time, and then he dies. Then he’s erased from existence.”

“How?” the Doctor asked, getting the water in the kettle.

“You know the crack in Amy’s wall? They are more sinister than you’ve imagined. When you touch it, you are erased. Rory is killed, then the crack claims him. But he comes back, as part of a plot to stop the destruction of the universe. Your enemies band together to take you out, and I get trapped on an exploding TARDIS.”

“I take it the plan does not work.”

“Yes and no,” she said. “Timey wimey stuff, as you like to say. Rory nearly kills Amy, but he remembers who he is and that he’s human even though he’s not.” The Doctor turned to look at her and raised an eyebrow. “He’s a Nestine duplicate that your enemies created from Amy’s memories.”

“Ah,” he said with a nod. “Go on.”

“You reset the universe, and then things go back to how they should. Amy and Rory get married, and they spend their honeymoon on the TARDIS. One day, while it is in flight, they…” She made a motion with her hand, and the Doctor blushed slightly. “I’m conceived that day. I’m part Time Lord because of it. Other enemies kidnap Amy while she’s pregnant with me, and after I am born I am taken away, raised to be the best weapon to fight you. But I escape and regenerate. First I live among Rory and Amy as their childhood friend Mels, then I become River Song. But now I think something has happened.”

“Why?”

“Because, as I said when you picked me up, the first time I meet you in this regeneration you’ve rescued me from a ship I caused to crash. I have no recollections of this adventure.”

“So why aren’t you disappearing?” he asked, a frown on his face.

“Perhaps because we’re in a parallel Earth? I’m not sure. If we go back to our own universe I may disappear, unless Amy and Rory get together and have sex while the TARDIS is in flight.” The Doctor spilled the tea and she chuckled slightly. “Oh, I should have phrased that differently.”

“It’s all right,” he said, cleaning it up. “So, what are you going to do?”

“I don’t know,” she said with a frown. “Help you with this, of course. No world should be controlled by tyrants. But after that, I am not sure. It entirely depends on what happens with Amy, with what decisions she makes.”

“Have you looked at your book since you boarded the TARDIS?” he asked.

She slowly shook her head. “No.”

“Perhaps you should.”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out the book, slowly flipping through it. “Pages that shouldn’t be blank are. It’s as if my entire history is erasing itself.” He came over and stood behind her, looking over her shoulder. After a moment he took the book from her hands. “You shouldn’t read that. You’ll learn too much about your future.”

“If it’s changing that implies my future changes as well,” he pointed out.

She paused. “There is that, I suppose.”

He flipped through it quickly, then put it down and frowned at her. “I think, if things are changing this drastically, you may not be able to go home.”

“I was afraid you would say that,” she said with a sigh.

“We will work on making this place better before the rest of us leave.” He looked at her intently, and his hand hovered over her shoulder. Then he lowered his hand and squeezed. “I will do everything in my power to convince Amy to go home, though. For things to happen as they should.”

“Thank you,” she said. “But now I’m curious as to _why_ this is happening.”

“As am I,” he said. “While Jack gets us answers about this world, perhaps you and I can put the library to good use and find out more about why things are changing.”

“After tea and biscuits,” she said. “I think we’re going to need the sustenance.”

He nodded. “After tea and biscuits, then.”


	4. In Which Jack Gets Some Answers And Forms A Plan Of His Own

The Emperor awoke first. His ears were ringing and his head hurt, but this was nothing worse than when he’d been knocked to the ground during drills. He looked around for a moment at the unfamiliar room before he sat up. There was a man sitting on a chair in between the two beds, his back towards the door. He could take this man out. He could take him out and escape, leave his wife there for the moment and get help.

“I wouldn’t,” Jack said, looking directly at him. “You’re weaponless, and even if you had weapons it wouldn’t matter. I can’t be killed.”

”What are you?” the Emperor asked.

“Alien,” he said with a shrug. “You’d be surprised how many aliens look like a regular human.”

He glanced over at his wife, who was beginning to stir. “You won’t get away with this.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that.” Jack leaned back in the seat. “How’d you do it, anyway?”

“Do what?” he replied.

“Take over the world.”

The Emperor narrowed his eyes. “You really must not be from here. It’s taught in all the history classes everywhere in the world.”

“I’m imagining it started when you two were young. She can’t be more than her early twenties, and you…late twenties, early thirties, somewhere around there.” Jack laced his fingers together behind his head. “Were you already royalty?”

“Why should he tell you?” the Empress said, slowly sitting up. “You’re a vile man and you’ll be killed as soon as we get out of here. Maybe before.” She reached for her side and then pulled her hand away in surprise.

“You _really_ thought we’d let you keep your weapons?” Jack asked, an amused grin on his face. “We took everything, even your brooch and your hair clip.”

She lowered her hand. “My husband can still kill you with his bare hands.”

“I already told him I can’t be killed. Whatever you do, I’ll come back.” Jack unlaced his fingers and stood up. “Go ahead. Try.”

“You heard the man,” the Empress said to her husband.

“No,” the Emperor said quietly.

“No?” she replied, her jaw hanging slightly. “You don’t want to defend our honor? You’re a bloody coward.”

“And what would you know of fighting, _your highness_?” he spat out. “You spend all day in the throne room, plotting to move people around like chess pieces.”

“I know how to murder a man with a single command,” she said as she glared at her husband.

“And I know just where to sink the knife to stop a man from living in an instant,” he replied, giving her a contemptuous look.

Jack put his fingers in his mouth and whistled a shrill whistle. The Empress had been about to reply to her husband when she put her hands over her ears. The Emperor winced. “Wow. You two do not have a happy and healthy relationship, do you?” Jack said as he pulled his fingers away.

“I know she plots to kill me,” the Emperor said.

“Just as I know you have poison in your ring to slip into my drink,” she spat out.

The Emperor looked about to respond when Jack brought his fingers up again. “Do I need to whistle again?” he asked, looking at both of them.

“I do not think my head could take that,” she replied.

Jack got up and went over to the Emperor. He tugged the ring off his hand before the man knew what he was doing. “Just in case.” Then he went back to the chair. “So, like I said. You guys must have been royalty before you took over the world.”

“She was the crown princess of Scotland. I was the boy king of England,” the Emperor said.

“Why are you telling him this?” she hissed.

The Emperor glared at his wife. “He’s not from here. He doesn’t know our history. If he does, maybe he will see just what a mistake it was to take us hostage.”

“Oooh,” she said slowly. Then she sat up straighter. “Perhaps that is a good idea.”

“So when did you two get the urge to take over the world?” Jack asked, crossing his arms and leaning back in the seat again.

“Our first night together as husband and wife. She was fifteen, I was twenty-one.”

“And how old are you now?” he asked.

“I’m twenty-one,” she replied, holding herself up and glaring at Jack.

“You two took over the world in _six years_?” Jack said, impressed despite himself.

“Having access to an elite navy, nuclear weapons and having a brain-dead President of the United States helped,” the Emperor said.

“He wouldn’t have been brain-dead if I hadn’t slipped him the poison after our tryst,” the Empress said.

“That is true,” her husband replied with a nod.

“Huh,” Jack said. “So I’m assuming you two have an open marriage.”

“Sex is yet another weapon in our arsenals,” the Emperor said with a shrug. “It means nothing.”

“And I thought Sherlock had issues,” Jack murmured.

The Emperor sat up more. “You know of another Sherlock Holmes?” he asked, intrigued.

Jack nodded. “Yes. And another Amelia Pond.”

“Fascinating,” the Emperor said quietly. “Are they with you?”

“Not at liberty to discuss that,” Jack said with a slight shrug.

“What about our advisors?” the Empress asked, her tone slightly worried.

“Which advisors?” Jack asked.

“Martha Jones and Mickey Smith. What did you do with them?” she asked insistently.

“They’re safe. For now.” He shrugged again. “How long that remains depends on what you tell me.”

“What do you want to know?” the Emperor asked, real fear showing in his eyes for the first time.

“Everything. How you run your government, who is closest to you, who your other advisors are…all of it.” He looked at both of them in turn. “So start talking.”

Four hours later Jack emerged from the room. He was staring at the ring he had gotten from the Emperor. “Hey, mate,” Mickey said. “Must have gone well for you to be in there almost four and a half hours.”

“I got intel,” Jack said with a nod. “And we need to figure out a way for it to get to Sherlock and Amy, because I get the sinking suspicion they got picked up and taken to the inner city.”

“Wait, what?” Martha asked. “How do you know this?”

“Because an hour before we got to them they were supposed to be picked up and taken back to the inner city, after they had murdered the resistance leader. I think if Sherlock and Amy stepped out at the wrong time they got picked up. Thankfully the two homicidal maniacs in there couldn’t find the leader, so we still have a shot with that.”

“Damn,” Mickey said. “So they’re in the inner city, and everyone is going to assume they’re the ones in charge?”

Jack nodded. “I need to go. They were expecting a new spy from the hellhole that is America. I need to intercept him and take his place. He should be arriving via private jet in an hour. No one knows what he looks like so it should work.”

“I’m coming with you,” Mickey said.

Jack shook his head. “No. You need to find the Doctor wherever he is in here and give him this.” He pulled out a pocket tape recorder. “I saw it mixed in with all the weapons, figured I’d put it to good use. Give it to him and listen to it. You two need to learn how to be the other yous. You two are the only people those two trust. They don’t even trust each other, but they seem to trust this place’s version of you two.”

“All right,” Martha said, taking the recorder. “What do we need to do?”

“When I’m gone, get them to talk. I’ll figure out a way to meet you to get the information.” He looked at them. “I don’t have the time to tell the Doctor myself. This is our only shot.”

“Then get going,” Mickey said. “We’ll make sure he gets this.”

“Thanks,” He clapped Mickey on the shoulder, gave Martha a quick hug, and then he left.

The two of them stared at him for a moment, then turned to each other. “Where did the Doctor go?” Martha asked.

“I don’t know,” Mickey said. “And I don’t know this TARDIS at all.”

“Guess we can start looking in every room,” Martha said with a sigh. “Let’s go down towards the console room and start from there. Agreed?”

“Agreed,” Mickey said. “And while we walk we can listen to this tape. Maybe we can actually do something to help out other than sit outside a door.”

“That would be good,” Martha said with a nod. She hit play on the tape recorder as they walked back the way they’d come, hoping it wouldn’t take long to find the Doctor and River. This was the biggest development yet, and they needed to know.


	5. In Which Sherlock And Amy See A Familiar (And Friendly) Face

It had taken nearly an hour to get to the castle in the center of the inner city, and before they were allowed to their rooms they’d had to attend a meeting. Both of them had stayed largely quiet, but apparently that was normal as no one asked if anything was the matter. Sherlock and Amy were ushered into a fabulous suite four hours later, and it was almost with relief that it happened. Attendants came in and began to get them undressed. Amy had to try her best not to turn bright red, because apparently the rulers of this world had no concept of privacy. When they were done Amy was in a soft nightgown with the curls brushed out of her hair, leaving it in waves. Sherlock was in pajamas and a dressing gown. “That was mortifying,” Amy said as the last attendant left the room.

“I had no problems with it,” Sherlock said with a shrug.

“Well, that’s because you’re male,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Men have no problem getting naked in front of people.”

“On the contrary, I am not overly fond of how I look when I have no clothing on,” he said with a slight shrug. “Even men can be self-conscious.”

“I suppose.” Then she sighed as she sat on the edge of the bed. “We got whisked away and I know _nothing_ about how I’m supposed to be her. I’m terrified I’m going to screw up and lose my life over this.”

“I share your anxiety a bit,” he said. He moved over to the side of the bed she was on and sat next to her. “We have to remember that they are most likely cold and ruthless individuals. With the way the attendants acted they have little to no modesty. And we just need to pull this off until we can find someone we can trust.”

“How are we going to find someone to trust in a place full of people who helped them take over the world?” she asked, turning to look at him. “For all we know all of them are bloody homicidal maniacs.”

“Pretend to be ill tomorrow,” he said.

“What?” she asked, furrowing her brow slightly.

“Pretend that you are sick. I will go out and meet with everyone. I can read people fairly well, as you saw when I made my deductions about you. If I can spend some time with them, I can figure out who we can trust.”

“That’s actually a brilliant idea,” she said, giving him a warm smile. Impulsively she leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Thank you, Sherlock.”

He looked slightly uncomfortable as he pulled away. “Think nothing of it,” he said quietly. There was a knock at the door, and both of them started slightly. “I’ll go answer it,” he said slowly.

Amy tensed until he came back with an attendant and a familiar face as well. “Your Highness, Kevin Jacklan is here. He said it is most urgent he speak to you.”

“Have dinner brought to us,” Jack said with a grin. “Didn’t get to eat anything on the plane.” The attendant looked at Sherlock, who nodded. The attendant left the room at that point. “The Doctor would have sent his regards, but I left before I could speak to him.”

“Oh, God, Jack, it’s you,” Amy said with relief, getting off the bed and giving him a hug.

“We wouldn’t leave you two here alone,” he said, hugging her back. When they pulled apart Amy looked like she was about to start crying. “Hey, it’s okay. We got the real Emperor and Empress on the TARDIS.”

“How did you manage that?” Sherlock asked, surprised.

“They were supposed to meet their handler when you guys stepped out of the TARDIS,” jack said. “They got you, and then when they got to the rendezvous point and no one was there they waited around. We stumbled onto them and they thought Mickey and Martha were their advisors.”

“So they’re on board the TARDIS and we have to stay here?” Amy said, her level of panic rising again.

“I tape recorded everything they had to say,” Jack said. Then he pointed to his head. “It’s all in here.”

“Who are you supposed to be to them?” Sherlock asked.

“I’m the American spy they were waiting for. I’ll tell everyone I will only speak to the two of you, and then you can just agree with whatever course of action your advisors suggest.”

“How bad are they?” Amy asked. Jack looked away. “Jack, how bad is it going to get?”

“The two of them are real pieces of work. For one thing they don’t really love each other. They have affairs, and each has a longstanding romantic paramour. The Emperor’s lover is named Molly Hooper, and the Empresses is named Rory Williams. Both of them are equally cunning and heartless.”

Sherlock and Amy both looked at each other. “That doesn’t sound like the Molly I know,” Sherlock said slowly. “And I imagine that doesn’t sound much like your fiancée, either.”

“What fiancée?” Jack asked Amy.

“When the Doctor came back it was on the eve of my wedding,” Amy said with a sigh, looking down. “The man the Empress is having an affair with is this world’s version of my fiancée.”

“This could pose some problems,” he said. “Unless you neutralize the threat.”

“I’m not going to kill anyone!” Amy said, aghast. “I just can’t do it.”

“I can,” Sherlock said quietly. Amy turned to look at him sharply. “If it will keep me safe, I will willingly kill someone.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Jack said. “Rory’s in the military. Send him to the farthest fight you have going, and if anyone who knows the truth about the two of you asks, you’ve tired of him and you hope he dies in battle.”

“What about my paramour?” Sherlock asked.

“That one is a little trickier. She’s the daughter of someone in the high court,” Jack said. “She’s got some power of her own, and she’s the one encouraging you to kill your wife so she can be queen. She’s ruthless enough to do it herself if you slight her.”

“So I must continue the affair until I can be rid of her,” he murmured.

Jack nodded. “Afraid so.”

“Do you even _like_ women?” Amy asked, curious.

“I have had experiences with women in the past,” he said.

Amy thought for a moment, then took a deep breath. “Was it any good?” she asked, trying not to turn bright red.

“I’m not sure. Why?” he asked, slightly confused.

“Because I get the feeling this guy is supposedly _very_ good in bed,” she said, looking at Jack, who nodded. “If you can’t please her she’ll figure out something’s up.”

“Then I’ll just have to abstain from intercourse with her.”

“Good luck with that,” Jack said. “She’s insatiable. She’s probably having affairs with other men in the court as well.”

“I could use that to my advantage,” Sherlock said after thinking a moment. “Find out for certain if she’s having an affair and banish her from the city.”

“Your wife’s going to have to do that,” Jack said. “She’s the brains of the operation. She also has most of the advisors on her side. Any orders you make have to come through her.”

“I _told_ you,” Amy said, the hint of a smug smile creeping on her lips. “And then it won’t work, because if she doesn’t love him she won’t care if he’s having an affair.”

“But she _will_ care if she’s plotting to assassinate her,” Sherlock pointed out. “All I need to do is bring back proof of her plans, and if anyone asks why you’ve banished her you can say she was trying to kill you.” Then he paused. “Of course, ordering her death might be more efficient.”

“I am not killing _anyone_ ,” Amy said insistently.

“You’re going to have to do things you don’t like, Amy,” Jack said quietly. “Ordering her death might be one of those things.”

“I don’t like this,” she said quietly. “In fact, I bloody _hate_ this. I’m not her! That’s not who I am!”

“If anyone has to kill her, I’ll do it,” Sherlock said quietly. “I can deal with that.”

“No. You shouldn’t have to! We shouldn’t have to _become_ them!” she said, moving to stand in front of him. “Don’t you see? It’s a…a…”

“Slippery slope?” Jack suggested.

“Yes! Once we start, when do we stop?” She looked at him intently. “Promise me you won’t kill her.”

“Why?” he asked, more curious than anything else.

“Because despite the fact you think you’re a sociopath you aren’t. I don’t think you are. You might have issues, but if you willingly murdered someone I don’t think you could live with yourself.”

“I’ve killed before.”

Amy blinked. “What?”

“In self-defense. I’ve killed a man before.”

“But that’s self-defense,” Jack pointed out. “That isn’t cold-blooded murder.”

“The principle is the same,” Sherlock replied with a slight shrug.

“You’re a true idiot if you think that,” Amy said, glaring at him.

“And you’re overly sentimental if you think she can be allowed to live,” he countered, his voice rising slightly as he glared back.

“I’ll kill her.” Both of them turned to look at him. “I’ve killed humans before. Aliens, too. If I believed in Hell I’d already be going there. I’ll handle it if it comes to that.”

“Jack…” Amy said, her gaze softening as she turned to look at him.

He held up his hand. “Neither of you should dirty your hands over this,” he said. “If anyone needs to die, I’ll do it. Simple as that.” He paused. “Just…don’t tell the Doctor. If he knew, he’d never speak to me again.”

“We’ll keep it between us,” Sherlock said slowly. Amy looked at him for a moment, then nodded as she turned back to Jack. “What do we do now?”

“I fill you in on everything I learned from them,” Jack said. “The ones you really need to fool are Martha and Mickey.”

“They’re here too?” Amy asked. “In the inner city?”

Jack shook his head. “This world’s version. They’re the only people the Emperor and Empress consider friends. If you can fool them, you can fool anyone.”

“Very well,” Sherlock said with a nod. “You talk to us now, and then tomorrow Amy will pretend to be ill and you and I will get the lay of the land.” Amy opened her mouth to protest but Sherlock held up a hand. “You’ve already stated tonight you are not willing to act like a tyrant. I doubt you can pull off being convincing without more data. This is an experiment, remember?”

Amy sighed. “I suppose. How long should I be ill?”

“A few days,” he replied. “I can do a lot in three days, but more might be best.”

“Very well,” Amy said. “I can fake being sick better than I can fake being a homicidal tyrant.”

“Good,” Sherlock said. Then he turned to Jack. “Start telling us everything you learned.”

“Well, they got married six years ago, and that’s when they began plotting to take over the world…”


	6. In Which Martha And River Have An Important Conversation

“Doctor, I’m glad we found you,” Mickey said as he opened the library door, Martha right behind him. “We have big news.”

“This place seems so much bigger than before,” Martha said. “It felt like we opened a million doors.”

“Bigger on the inside. Much bigger,” the Doctor said with a smile, looking up from the book he and River were reading together. “What’s happened?”

Mickey held up the tape recorder. “Jack got information. We’ve only listened to about an hour of it, but they spilled a lot.”

“Where is Jack?” River asked with a frown.

“He left,” Martha said.

“Why?” the Doctor asked, surprised.

“To tell Sherlock and Amy what he learned,” Mickey said. “The Emperor and Empress were expecting an American spy so he went to take his place.”

The Doctor sighed. “I wish he had consulted me first. He probably had to…you know,” he said, making a slight face.

“Kill him? Yes, probably,” River said with a nod.

“I don’t condone things like that.” The Doctor looked at them. “How bad is it?”

“Bad. Those two are…” Martha looked at Mickey for help in describing what they had been listening to. 

“They are cold and ruthless and really evil people. I know you don’t like using the term evil about humans, but they are. They’re bloodthirsty and they’ll do anything to get what they want. Seduce people, kill them…I think Jack just started getting into the brainwashing when we found you.”

“This is not good at all,” the Doctor murmured. “What were they doing in the outer city? Did Jack find that out?”

“Trying to kill the resistance leader,” Martha said. “They weren’t successful, but they were planning on killing him and as many of his followers as they could take out. I don’t know how they thought they could do it, looking like they did.”

“Could it be that the general population doesn’t know what they look like?” River asked.

“Oh, they know. Their faces are on all the currency, and when they got married six years ago it was one of the biggest events in the world. There was a lot of media coverage,” Martha said. “And the history classes in the entire world teach about them. Everyone knows what they look like.”

“That’s a rather stupid plan then,” the Doctor said with a frown. “You said they got married six years ago?” Both Mickey and Martha nodded. “I’m assuming they began plotting this from around that time.”

“The first night of their marriage,” Mickey said. “So they took over this world in six years.”

“If they were crafty enough to do that they had to have known they wouldn’t be able to get close to the resistance leader,” the Doctor said as he got up and began to pace. “They had to have another reason to be out here.”

“Maybe they were trying to see how the lower class was doing,” River said. “Perhaps they had a disguise on that they discarded before we saw them.”

“There is that,” the Doctor conceded. “Did we get anything else off of them that we’re not sure was a weapon?”

“A few things,” Mickey said. “We can go back and get them.”

“No, we’ll all go.” The Doctor said. River nodded and stood up. “I wish Jack hadn’t left. We need more information, and I doubt they will talk to me.”

“They may talk to us,” Mickey said. The Doctor looked at him sharply. “Supposedly the only friends they have are this universe’s version of me and Martha. They are their closest advisors.”

“It’s tricky. You know nothing about your counterparts here,” River said. “You may not be able to fool them. Perhaps they will talk to me.”

The Doctor raised an eyebrow slightly. “Why do you think they will talk to you?”

“Jack isn’t the only one who can persuade people to do things,” River said with an enigmatic smile. “I have my own ways, things I have perfected over the years. If I can make them comfortable with me, perhaps I can get them to talk. But let’s listen to the tape recorder first. How long was Jack in there?”

“Nearly four and a half hours,” Mickey said.

“Then we have a lot to listen to. Back it up and let’s go back to the kitchen. I think it would be best if we fortify ourselves as we listen,” the Doctor said.

“That’s a good idea. I’m starved,” Mickey said.

“Then let’s get going,” River said. The four of them exited the library, the Doctor leading the way.

“What were the two of you studying, anyway?” Martha asked River, who she was walking next to, behind Mickey and the Doctor.

“We were trying to figure out how I could still exist if history has changed so much,” she said. “And we were also trying to figure out why we all seemed to remember things differently.”

“Like how Mickey and I knew about the 456 and Amy didn’t?” Martha asked.

River nodded. “There are cracks in the universe. When something touches the crack, they disappear, and it’s as though they never existed. We’re starting to wonder if they can do more than that, though. If they can affect the memories of the people near them. The Doctor can’t do more research on the matter until he gets back to our Earth, but it’s a theory.”

“I’ve never seen any cracks.”

“You may be immune to their effects, since you were a time traveler. The Doctor wants to talk to others who are still around, see what they remember and what they don’t. But as I said, he can’t do anything until he returns.”

“You keep saying ‘he,’ not ‘us,’” Martha said, narrowing her eyes slightly. “Why?”

“Unless things happen in a very specific way back on our Earth, I will not be conceived. I need my parents to do things in a certain way, in a certain place and at a certain time. It’s very complicated, and I have the feeling it is not going to happen.” Martha looked confused and River patted her arm slightly. “Amy is my mother. The man she was engaged to, the one whose wedding she ran away from to travel with the Doctor…he is my father. They need to have some specific adventures before they reboot the universe, and then after they go through with their wedding they conceive me while the TARDIS is in flight.”

“And how do you know it’s not going to happen?” Martha asked.

“Because my past and my future are erasing themselves,” she said. She pulled out her blue book. “I wrote down all the adventures I had with the Doctor, all the times I met with him. Essentially, this was the story of our life together. And it’s disappearing.”

“So you _can’t_ go back,” Martha said as the realization hit. “If you go back you might cease to exist.”

“Exactly,” River said with a nod.

“Are you going to tell Amy?” 

River shook her head. “She doesn’t need to know. If this is going to change her future so drastically that she doesn’t marry my father, I don’t want to push her.”

“But what happens if you disappear here?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” River replied quietly. “I suppose it will be the price I pay for ensuring we can fix the mess this world has become.”

“You shouldn’t have to pay for it with your life!” Martha exclaimed, her eyes wide.

“But I am willing. I have lived a long life, and even if the world at large does not live it the same way, I have my memories. I can die knowing I died for a greater good, and I will be content.”

“But—” Martha began, and stopped when River shook her head. “You shouldn’t have to,” she said quietly.

“I am willing to,” River said with a shrug. “This time with the Doctor, it will be enough.”

“You love him,” Martha said shrewdly after a moment of silence.

“Yes,” River said quietly, nodding.

“Does he love you back?”

“Later, he did. This version? No. No, this version does not love me.”

“I’m sorry,” Martha said, putting a hand on River’s arm.

“As am I. But to save this world, I am willing to accept that loss.” River gave her a sad smile. “We’re almost to the kitchen. We can finish this conversation later. We need to put on a brave face, because I get the feeling we’re about to get bad news.”

“All right,” Martha said with a nod. She knew it would be some time until this conversation was finished, but as it stood now she was starting to wonder if this trip had been a good idea at all. So much was going on and it would be easy to get lost in the sea of change. She just hoped that, at the end, everyone would be able to get out alive with their pasts and futures intact.


	7. In Which Amy And Sherlock Get Found Out And Receive Unexpected Help

Amy was quite good at faking an illness. She decided to be in a bad mood as she issued the order to leave her alone, and the attendants took it in stride. Apparently the Empress had a temper, so this wasn’t anything new. The Emperor’s attendants got him dressed and ready for the day, and he left the room to do whatever his normal routine was. Sherlock decided it was best to be quiet and observe. Jack joined him nearly thirty minutes later, which made it easier.

“I’m your new best friend,” Jack said when they were taken to the area where breakfast was being served. It was just the two of them. “I did some more exploring after we all got done talking last night. Supposedly you fill your days with drills and things that show off your fighting prowess. Do you know how to fight?”

“Quite well,” Sherlock said. “I had to study many forms of martial arts over the years, and I know how to use a sword, both broadsword and fencing.”

Jack looked slightly surprised. “You must have had an interesting education.”

“Most of it I learned for cases. Some of the things intrigued me enough that I continued their study outside of the scope of my cases.” He began to serve himself breakfast from the buffet laid out. “What else did you learn?”

“She has all the power. You’re a puppet ruler, really, which is why the woman your alternate self is sleeping with wants her dead. She thinks if Amy’s dead then she can have all the power and keep you in place as a puppet. She also has a daily session with you, where you sneak off and have sex. It’s usually around one in the afternoon, though you lucked out this week. She’s not in town.”

“That is a relief,” Sherlock admitted. “That gives me time to become this man.”

“I think it will be easier for you than Amy,” he said. “I mean, I know she doesn’t want to kill anyone. And even though I know I said I’d do it, she’s going to have to make the order, and do it publicly. She has to, or else it will all fall apart.”

“I know,” he murmured. “I don’t believe playing this part will be easy for her. It may be what brings about our deaths.”

“Not if I can help it,” Jack said. “I did learn a bit more about this universe’s advisors. Not all of them approve of what the Emperor and Empress are doing. There is a handful who, if given the chance, could conceivably change their minds. And I think Martha and Mickey are two of them.”

Sherlock stopped serving his food. “Really.”

“They don’t mind the power, and they are a tad bit bloodthirsty themselves, but they don’t like what this quest for power has done to their friends. Mickey has been the Emperor’s best friend since he was five, and Martha is the only person in the British court that didn’t treat Amy as an interloper. But they’ve seen their friends change over the years, and they don’t like it. There would have been a lot more carnage and dead bodies if it hadn’t been for those two.”

“I see,” Sherlock murmured. “This could work in our favor.”

“Well, supposedly you have a meeting with Mickey today, to ride out and go hunting in the woods around the castle. You’ll have to see if you can convince him.”

“That will be tricky,” Sherlock said, returning to his food. “If he finds me out this could all fall apart around us.”

“Amy was smart in ordering that no one visit her, but I don’t think that will stop Martha,” Jack said. “So she’s going to have to act her own part as well.”

“We can only hope for the best,” Sherlock said.

“Yeah, I’m afraid so.”

\--

Amy lay in bed. There was nothing to do in the suite except watch the television that she had requested be wheeled in. She had no clue what there was to watch, and as she flipped through the channels what she saw surprised her. There was no mention on the news of the carnage and devastation that she knew her alternate self had perpetrated. It almost seemed as if there was a vision of utopia broadcast on the news, not the truth. She supposed that was the way a tyrant was.

There had also been a selection of movies brought in, with a note from this world’s Martha that it was old favorites that might cheer her up. She saw some romantic comedies and action movies that seemed unfamiliar. The actors looked familiar, some of them, but the titles and the plots did not. So much was different about this world, so much that she didn’t understand. She hoped that Sherlock and Jack could gather enough information to help get them through this war zone with their lives and personalities intact.

She was just about to put a movie in when a secret panel in the wall across from her slid open. She froze as Martha Jones stepped through it. This was not good. This was not good _at all_ , Amy thought to herself. She waited to see what Martha did first, and when the woman came over and gave her a hug she hugged her back. “I can’t imagine you sick,” Martha said as she pulled away. “You never get sick.”

“It happens to the best of us,” Amy said, going back to the bed after a moment.

“I suppose so,” Martha said, going to the other side of the bed. “What were you going to watch?”

“’Jack Of All Trades,’” Amy said. “That one sounded the most appealing.”

“Oh, Kevin Jackson is brilliant in that movie,” Martha said with a smile. “That’s definitely a good choice. Mind if I join you?”

“All right,” Amy said quietly. She settled back into the bed, and Martha sat next to her, stretching out slightly. Amy picked up the remote and pressed play. Martha gave commentary throughout the movie, and Amy relaxed a bit. So far, Martha didn’t seem to realize she wasn’t the Empress.

It wasn’t until nearly the end of the movie that Amy slipped. “I’d like some popcorn,” she said with a slight smile.

“You don’t like popcorn,” Martha said with a frown. “You said the kernels got stuck in your teeth.”

“I’m reconsidering it,” Amy said, hoping the slip wasn’t too great.”

Martha reached over and picked up the remote. “Amy, are you pregnant?” she asked gently.

“What? No!” she said, shaking her head. “Why would you think that?”

“You’re sick, you’re craving something you normally hate, and you’re unusually quiet…” Martha looked at her closely. “Show me your back.”

“Why?” Amy asked.

“Do it,” Martha said insistently. Amy knew she was caught. She turned her back towards Martha, then stood and undid her nightgown enough to lower it, exposing her back. “You’re not Amy. At least, not the Amy I know,” she said after a moment. “You don’t have her birthmark on her shoulder. Where is she?”

“Somewhere else,” Amy said quietly, bracing herself.

“Are you a tyrant?” Martha asked.

“No. I’m not a ruler. I’m not from here. I’m from a parallel Earth.”

“So you’re…good?” Martha asked.

“Yes,” Amy said with a slight nod.

“Good.”

Amy turned sharply, forgetting for a moment that the front of her was exposed. She quickly pulled the nightgown back up and looked at Martha. “What do you mean, good?”

“She’s lost her mind,” Martha said. “Her quest for power has gone to her head and she’s not the same woman I became friends with. She’s a monster. I barely know her.” She looked at Amy. “How are you fooling her husband?”

“I’m not,” Amy said, relief washing over her. “He’s also from my Earth. He’s not really the Emperor.”

Martha frowned. “I hope he can fool Mickey. They’re supposed to go hunting today.”

“Will Mickey be upset if he finds out the truth?” Amy asked, getting back into the bed.

Martha shook her head. “The man he was friends with as a child is gone as well. Sherlock is just as bloodthirsty as his wife. Mickey will probably be ecstatic. We were planning on running away together, if we could.”

“Why?” Amy asked.

“Life here is hell. They rule with an iron fist, and the only reason we’re really spared is we’re their friends. But Mickey and I, we love each other. And neither of them wants to let us be happy together. They may be our friends, but they want to control everything, and they think if Mickey and I are allowed to be happy it will undermine them.”

“I’m sorry,” Amy said. “I didn’t know.”

“I hope they’re dead,” she said. “I hope that they can’t hurt anyone else ever again.”

“No, they’re still alive,” Amy said. “They’ve just been captured. The man who has them, he hates for people to die.”

“Tell me more,” she said.

“How can I be sure I can trust you?” Amy asked quietly.

“You can’t,” Martha said. “But if I want things to change for the better, you’re the best shot I’ve got. If you let me be happy, I’ll help keep you alive.”

Amy thought about it for a moment, then nodded. “All right. What do you want to know?”

“Everything.”

\--

“You don’t appear to be having a good day hunting,” Mickey said to Sherlock. Sherlock was an excellent shot, but that was with bigger targets. The small fowl they were hunting was more elusive as well as being a smaller target than a person, and that was making it hard to be accurate. He had caught some of what he had been aiming for, but not all. He had been thankful it was just the two of them.

“I have a lot on my mind,” he murmured.

“I can imagine. Does Molly still think she can be Empress?”

“Yes,” Sherlock said with a nod.

“One of these days your wife is going to find out, and it’s not going to be pretty,” Mickey said, aiming at another bird. He fired, and the bird fell out of the sky. 

“Why don’t you tell her?” Sherlock asked.

Mickey looked at him strangely, not lowering the gun all that much. “We’ve been over this before. If she finds out about Molly’s plotting she’ll have a reason to kill the both of you, and probably me as well since I knew.”

“I forgot,” Sherlock said.

Mickey looked at him for a moment, and then swung the gun in his direction. “Who are you _really_?”

“Your friend,” Sherlock said.

“I don’t think so. Is this some plot from the Empress? Trying to trap me into saying the wrong thing by planting a decoy of her husband? I’ve been his best mate since we were five. I know him better than anyone else on the planet.”

Sherlock sighed. “I am not a decoy, planted by the Empress. I’m not even from this earth.”

“So you’re an alien?” Mickey asked.

“No, I’m human, just as you are. I am simply from a parallel earth.”

Sherlock watched as his stance wavered slightly. “How did you get here?” he asked.

“I was mistaken for your friend. He is on board the ship I came here on, safe.”

“Well, damn,” Mickey said, lowering the gun. “I knew that idea of his was going to backfire. I just didn’t think it would go this badly for him.”

“What do you mean?” Sherlock asked, relieved there was no longer a gun pointed at him.

“He wanted to kill the resistance leader. Make it look like the rebellion turned on him. He borrowed a disguise for him and his wife. I told him not to do it, but he seemed to think it was the best way to quiet things down.” Mickey looked at him closely. “Are you going to be a tyrannical ruler as well?”

“I hadn’t planned on being a ruler at all,” Sherlock said.

“Well, unless you get some help you’re going to get yourself killed,” Mickey said. “And I get the distinct feeling my life will be better if he’s gone and you’re here.”

“Oh?” Sherlock asked, surprised.

“I’m appalled at what they’ve done. They aren’t really my friends any more. They’re bloodthirsty and they’re pure evil. They plot and plan and kill, and no one is safe, not even Martha and I. If they’re gone, maybe we can start fixing things. Get it back to how it used to be.”

Sherlock blinked. “So you don’t want them back,” he said slowly.

“God no. If they’re dead, all the better. But you’re going to need my help.”

“You’re as bloodthirsty as they are,” Sherlock replied.

“No, but I’m pragmatic. There are some of us who were thinking of joining the rebellion, it’s gotten that bad. But if we can change things from inside, maybe we can make the world better.”

“And what if I don’t want to help you?”

“I’ll kill you,” Mickey said with a shrug.

Sherlock nodded. “Very well. What will you have me do?”

“First, we need to get you to be more like the Emperor. I’m afraid it isn’t going to be pleasant, because he’s a monster.”

“I suppose we all can become monsters, if needed,” Sherlock said.

“Yeah, but I’m hoping when you start acting however you normally act people will believe it’s due to a change of heart.” Mickey looked at him. “Is the Empress locked up as well?”

Sherlock nodded. “Yes.”

“I’m sure Martha’s already figured out that the Amy who’s sick isn’t really her friend. She is rather intelligent.”

“What would she do if she did?”

“The same thing I’m doing: help her fit in. Because, let’s face it, your very lives depend on it.”

“There is that,” Sherlock conceded.

Mickey grinned slightly. “Come on. Let’s go interrupt them and the four of us can talk. There’s a lot you need to learn, and not a lot of time to learn it.”

“Very well,” Sherlock said. “After you.”


End file.
